The present invention relates to a non-metallic vehicle air intake manifold and, more particularly, to an intake manifold which integrates the fuel modules into a carrier gasket therefor.
An air intake manifold distributes air to a vehicle engine""s cylinders. The manifold is located on the engine in the engine compartment of a vehicle. The manifold is in close proximity to various electrical components of the vehicle engine such as fuel injectors, electric throttle body, throttle position sensors, idle air controller, and air temperature and pressure sensors.
Conventional wire harnesses are typically utilized to conduct electricity to the electrical components. The wire harnesses are expensive to manufacture and assemble onto the vehicle engine. Wire harnesses may also be bulky and subject to damage from the hostile environment within the vehicle engine compartment.
Recently, due to the increased use of plastic in the manufacture of air intake manifolds and their proximity to the electrical components, manufacturers have attempted to integrate the wires directly into the plastic air intake manifold. The wire harness itself is embedded into the manifold during the molding process. While the plastic of the manifold protects the wiring from the engine compartment""s hostile environment and provides support for the harness, the result may be undesirable in several respects. In particular, it may be difficult to control the exact location of the wiring while molding the rather complicated manifold which may damage the wire harness. Scrap rates may thereby increase resulting in greater expense and lower production volume.
Moreover, as the manifold utilizes a relatively large quantity of material, recycling may be economically feasible. If the manifold is recycled, the wiring within the manifold must be removed prior to reclaiming the plastic. However, recycling is complicated due to the embedded wire harness. This not only increases the expense of producing such a manifold but also makes recycling old manifolds cost prohibitive.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an air intake manifold with an integrated wiring system but without the heretofore production difficulties.
The intake manifold according to the present invention provides a fuel module carrier assembly mounted between an intake manifold and an internal combustion engine. The fuel module carrier assembly includes an electrical lead, coil assemblies, fuel modules, fuel module seals, a molded carrier and runner seals. When assembled, the fuel module carrier assembly retains and protects the electrical fuel module components.
The electrical lead is molded or assembled into the carrier such that the manifold is separate from any metallic or wire components which heretofore were molded directly therein. Assembly, repair, and recycling are greatly simplified as the carrier is formed separate from the manifold.
In one carrier assembly, the fuel modules are inserted into the carrier from the engine side such that only a single fuel module seal is required for each fuel module. Each fuel module is received within a respective fuel module opening and is surrounded by a coil assembly which receives power and communicates through the electrical lead. The fuel module opening is a generally tubular member within which the fuel module closely fits.
Another carrier assembly designed according to the present invention retains or is overmolded with an electrical lead and coil assemblies. The fuel modules are plugged into fuel module openings from the side opposite the engine. The fuel modules may therefore be assembled independent of the carrier assembly which provides numerous assembly possibilities.
Another carrier assembly designed according to the present invention includes an electrical lead having a plurality of connectors. Each connector receives a fuel module assembly having a fuel module and a mating module connector. The fuel module assembly includes an integral coil assembly which communicates through the connector. The module connector is angled relative and offset from the fuel module according to packaging and layout requirements of the manifold.
The present invention therefore provides an air intake manifold with an integrated wiring system but without the heretofore production difficulties.